Patents Assigned to Digital Theater System, Inc.
  • Patent number: 7003467
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of decoding two-channel matrix encoded audio to reconstruct multichannel audio that more closely approximates a discrete surround-sound presentation. This is accomplished by subband filtering the two-channel matrix encoded audio, mapping each of the subband signals into an expanded sound field to produce multichannel subband signals, and synthesizing those subband signals to reconstruct multichannel audio. By steering the subbands separately about an expanded sound field, various sounds can be simultaneously positioned about the sound field at different points allowing for more accurate placement and more distinct definition of each sound element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: William P. Smith, Stephen M. Smyth, Ming Yan
  • Patent number: 6931370
    Abstract: DTS Interactive provides low cost fully interactive immersive digital surround sound environment suitable for 3D gaming and other high fidelity audio applications, which can be configured to maintain compatibility with the existing infrastructure of Digital Surround Sound decoders. The component audio is stored and mixed in a compressed and simplified format that reduces memory requirements and processor utilization and increases the number of components that can be mixed without degrading audio quality. Techniques are also provided for “looping” compressed audio, which is an important and standard feature in gaming applications that manipulate PCM audio. In addition, decoder sync is ensured by transmitting frames of “silence” whenever mixed audio is not present either due to processing latency or the gaming application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Samuel Keith McDowell
  • Patent number: 6741323
    Abstract: In a motion picture subtitle system a shutter such as a mechanical dowser, LCLV, or E/O diffuser is inserted in the optical path between the supplemental projector and the motion picture screen and synchronized to the projection of the subtitles to reduce visual artifacts and enhance the cinematic presentation. A controller is arranged to receive the subtitles from a storage medium, to provide the subtitles to the supplemental projector in synchronism with the projection of the motion picture, and to alternately cause the shutter to pass the modulated light beam during an “on” state in synchronism with the motion picture so the subtitles are superimposed at desired times on desired portions of the motion picture and cause the shutter to attenuate the light beam during an “off” state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley J. Plunkett
  • Publication number: 20040027539
    Abstract: In a motion picture subtitle system a shutter such as a mechanical dowser, LCLV, or E/O diffuser is inserted in the optical path between the supplemental projector and the motion picture screen and synchronized to the projection of the subtitles to reduce visual artifacts and enhance the cinematic presentation. A controller is arranged to receive the subtitles from a storage medium, to provide the subtitles to the supplemental projector in synchronism with the projection of the motion picture, and to alternately cause the shutter to pass the modulated light beam during an “on” state in synchronism with the motion picture so the subtitles are superimposed at desired times on desired portions of the motion picture and cause the shutter to attenuate the light beam during an “off” state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2002
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley J. Plunkett
  • Patent number: 6487535
    Abstract: A subband audio coder employs perfect/non-perfect reconstruction filters, predictive/non-predictive subband encoding, transient analysis, and psycho-acoustic/minimum mean-square-error (mmse) bit allocation over time, frequency and the multiple audio channels to encode/decode a data stream to generate high fidelity reconstructed audio. The audio coder windows the multi-channel audio signal such that the frame size, i.e. number of bytes, is constrained to lie in a desired range, and formats the encoded data so that the individual subframes can be played back as they are received thereby reducing latency. Furthermore, the audio coder processes the baseband portion (0-24 kHz) of the audio band-width for sampling frequencies of 48 kHz and higher with the same encoding/decoding algorithm so that audio coder architecture is future compatible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Malcolm Smyth, Michael Henry Smyth, William Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 6226616
    Abstract: A multi-channel audio compression technology is presented that extends the range of sampling frequencies compared to existing technologies and/or lowers the noise floor while remaining compatible with those earlier generation technologies. The high-sampling frequency multi-channel audio is decomposed into core audio up to the existing sampling frequencies and a difference signal up to the sampling frequencies of the next generation technologies. The core audio is encoded using a first generation technology such as DTS, Dolby AC-3 or MPEG I or II such that the encoded core bit stream is fully compatible with a comparable decoder in the market. The difference signal is encoded using technologies that extend the sampling frequency and/or improve the quality of the core audio. The compressed difference signal is attached as an extension to the core bit stream. The extension data will be ignored by the first generation decoders but can be decoded by the second generation decoders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Yu-Li You, William Paul Smith, Zoran Fejzo, Stephen Smyth
  • Patent number: 5978762
    Abstract: A subband audio coder employs perfect/non-perfect reconstruction filters, predictive/non-predictive subband encoding, transient analysis, and psycho-acoustic/minimum mean-square-error (mmse) bit allocation over time, frequency and the multiple audio channels to encode/decode a data stream to generate high fidelity reconstructed audio. The audio coder windows the multi-channel audio signal such that the frame size, i.e. number of bytes, is constrained to lie in a desired range, and formats the encoded data so that the individual subframes can be played back as they are received thereby reducing latency. Furthermore, the audio coder processes the baseband portion (0-24 kHz) of the audio bandwidth for sampling frequencies of 48 kHz and higher with the same encoding/decoding algorithm so that audio coder architecture is future compatible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Malcolm Smyth, Michael Henry Smyth, William Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 5974380
    Abstract: A subband audio coder employs perfect/non-perfect reconstruction filters, predictive/non-predictive subband encoding, transient analysis, and psycho-acoustic/minimum mean-square-error (mmse) bit allocation over time, frequency and the multiple audio channels to encode/decode a data stream to generate high fidelity reconstructed audio. The audio coder windows the multi-channel audio signal such that the frame size, i.e. number of bytes, is constrained to lie in a desired range, and formats the encoded data so that the individual subframes can be played back as they are received thereby reducing latency. Furthermore, the audio coder processes the baseband portion (0-24 kHz) of the audio bandwidth for sampling frequencies of 48 kHz and higher with the same encoding/decoding algorithm so that audio coder architecture is future compatible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Malcolm Smyth, Michael Henry Smyth, William Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 5956674
    Abstract: A subband audio coder employs perfect/non-perfect reconstruction filters, predictive/non-predictive subband encoding, transient analysis, and psycho-acoustic/minimum mean-square-error (mmse) bit allocation over time, frequency and the multiple audio channels to encode/decode a data stream to generate high fidelity reconstructed audio. The audio coder windows the multi-channel audio signal such that the frame size, i.e. number of bytes, is constrained to lie in a desired range, and formats the encoded data so that the individual subframes can be played back as they are received thereby reducing latency. Furthermore, the audio coder processes the baseband portion (0-24 kHz) of the audio bandwidth for sampling frequencies of 48 kHz and higher with the same encoding/decoding algorithm so that audio coder architecture is future compatible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Malcolm Smyth, Michael Henry Smyth, William Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 5751398
    Abstract: A digital time code is printed in an area of a motion picture film, between the normal analog optical sound track and the picture frames, that is exposed along with the sound track when a print is made. This area is partially redeveloped, and normally reserved to isolate the analog sound track from the picture frames. Digital audio for the motion picture is stored in a large capacity high integrity archival digital storage system. The time codes corresponding to known locations on the film are read as the film is played, and in an anticipatory pass the digital audio signals for these frames are transferred to a fast access data storage buffer which temporarily stores the data before it is converted to analog format for theater play. The time code is read with light that is absorbed by the film dyes produced when the film is developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1998
    Assignee: Digital Theater System, Inc.
    Inventor: Terry D. Beard